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Voice
How can your voice sound better. what are some ways to get your singing voice to sound good.
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Want to answer more questions in the Hobbies category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Music?
My friend on here, Amy, [aka Igotamonopoly here], has a great website set up for singing tips. She knows what she's talking about! ;]
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
--Jack
(16/m)
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These are "A-Z" tips for singing.
A = Airflow. Never hold your breath while singing. The airflow is what creates and carries your vocal tone, so keep it flowing. Avoid Clavicular Breathing and Belly Breathing -- instead, learn the proper way to breathe for singing, called diaphragmatic breathing. Fill the lower portion of your lungs as if you had an inner tube around your waist that you were evenly filling.
B = Breathing properly for singing requires the shoulders to remain down and relaxed, not rise with the breath intake. A singer will gain power to their voice by strengthening the muscles in their ribcage and back.
C = Communicate the music's message. During performance it is very important to communicate the message of the song. If you make a "mistake" don't point it out to your audience. It is most likely they did not even notice.
D = Diaphragmatic Support. Develop the strength and coordination of the diaphragm and become a pro at controlling the speed of the airflow released, the quantity of the airflow released and the consistency of the airflow released.
E = Elasticity of the Vocal Folds. The vocal tone is created as airflow bursts through the cleft of the vocal cords causing them to vibrate/oscillate. The vocal folds can lose elasticity due to misuse, lack of use and/or increase of age. Be sure to train your voice with vocal exercises on a regular basis to keep your voice in shape.
F = Free your natural voice. Don't be a slave to any music style -- even your favorite one. Learn to sing with your full and natural voice by developing your vocal strength and coordination. Then add stylistic nuances to achieve any singing style you desire.
G = Guessing Games. Never guess the pitch you are about to sing. Hear the note in your head before you open your mouth.
H = High notes require consistent and steady airflow. Many students tend to hold their breath as they sing higher. Let the air flow. Try increasing your airflow and gauge your result.
I = Increase your breathing capacity and control by doing breathing exercises every day. Be sure to avoid patterned breathing. Singers must negotiate phrase lengths of all different sizes, so it is important to be versatile.
J = Jumping Jacks. If you are having trouble getting your body completely involved with singing, try doing some cardiovascular activities, like jumping jacks, for a few minutes before getting started again. Sometimes your instrument simply needs an airflow wake-up call.
K = Know your limits. Don't sing too high or too low. Don't sing to the point of vocal fatigue. Never strain or push your voice. Doing so will not result in a higher or lower singing range, or a stronger voice, only a voice that has suffered undue stress.
L = Low notes are often sung with too much airflow. Try decreasing your airflow to achieve a more natural, more relaxed tone.
M = Mirror. Training in front of a mirror can help a singer discover many things about their instrument, as well as confirm that other actions are being done correctly. Be sure to rely on a mirror during vocal training, but be able to leave the mirror to face an audience.
N = Never sing if it hurts to swallow.
O = Open your mouth wider. Nine times out of ten this will help you achieve a stronger, more defined vocal tone.
P = Prepare your instrument before singing. Singers are very much like athletes. Take care of your body/instrument by stretching out the vocal muscles and relieving the body of unnecessary tension before singing.
Q = Quit smoking. Quit talking too loudly. Quit talking too much.
R = Raise the Soft Palate. Creating a larger space inside your mouth by raising the soft palate, or fleshy part of the back of our throat, helps achieve a deeper more well rounded singing tone.
S = Sing through the vocal breaks. If you do not teach the muscles the necessary actions to sing through the trouble spots, success will never be achieved. Sing through it, sing through it again, and again....
T = Tone Placement. Learning the facts about tone placement and resonance make a huge difference in the abilities of a singer. In simple terms, a singer has numerous body cavities (nasal cavity, chest cavity, etc.) and amplifiers (bones, ligaments, etc.) that act as resonators. Focusing the vocal tone through the proper resonating chamber with the proper support is important with regard to controlling and developing your personal sound.
U = Unique Voice Under Construction. Remember that your voice has its own unique fingerprint and is constantly changing with our actions, environment, health habits, etc. With this in mind, listen to your own voice often and use vocal training tools to keep your voice on the right track.
V = Vibrato. Vibrato is a natural or forced fluctuation of a singing tone. Do not concentrate on learning how to sing with vibrato. Instead, concentrate on the basic foundations of singing, breathing and support. When the proper coordination is achieved, vibrato will occur naturally.
W = Water. Water. Water. Drink room temperature water as often as you can to keep your voice organ hydrated. If you only have cold or hot water available, swish it around in your mouth for a moment. This action will keep your voice organ from being startled or stressed by different temperatures.
Y = You Can Sing with Impact! Exercise your voice daily with contemporary voice lesson products. Don't Just Sing when You Can Sing with Impact!
Z = Zzzzzzzz. Be sure to get your rest. If you are tired, your voice will show it. A tired body/instrument will not allow you to produce your best possible sound.
Others would be:
"For homework, observe your favorite singers in live action. Take note of how they drop their jaw for some sounds, and lift their cheeks up for others… The shape of your mouth will greatly affect the tone and volume of the sound you are creating."
"It is my opinion that a singer is only as good as the song that he/she is singing. You must choose your material wisely; you would be surprised at how it alters people’s perception of your voice."
"Decide which vocalists you most admire, and then observe their technique. Visually, you will see how they use their physicality, and how they present themselves on stage. Audibly, you will hear what perhaps they are doing differently, and how you can improve your own technique."
"Projection is the art of pushing the sound (via the air) up, and forward, and away from you. Singers, actors, and public speakers do it. “Reach for the back row”. Remember that even when your voice is going down in pitch and in volume, the projection always moves up and forward and away – because it is your directly related to your airflow."
" You are not born with your range, you can increase it. If you cannot touch your toes, try every day to touch your toes - and you will touch your toes. Your range can be stretched in the same manner (using proper technique!!!) and likewise, if you don’t use your full range regularly, it will shrink back."
" Talent? I believe that talent is an illusion that only people who’ve practiced a great deal will ever possess. I have students who practice regularly, and students who don’t – the difference is abundantly clear. Adhere to a structured practice regiment and you will be “talented” too! "
"I would not be caught dead singing without warming up first. You go to hit a note… and a different one comes out! Your delicate little vocal folds were not made to go from 0 to 60 in three seconds. You must stretch them to their full range gently and gradually."
"Once you have developed your skill with regard to using your voice without damaging it, use this technique in your daily life. If you speak a great deal, or need to project your voice in a noisy environment, or cheer at a concert, scream on a roller coaster, shout instructions at a sports event, argue with your family, etc… you must preserve your voice with skill - or it won’t be there when you need it to sing!"
"There’s nothing worse (ok, maybe route canal surgery is a little worse) than watching a singer perform a song that they just don’t care about. Sing songs that you love and that you care about and your audience will care about you."
"To me the diaphragm is the most important muscle in singing. Find out where it is and how to control your airflow. In a very short space of time you can become a much better singer simply by learning to control your diaphragm. "
"Singing is fun. It’s actually very hard to be depressed when you are singing and there is lots of evidence all over the internet to support this theory. Most people find their weekly singing class very therapeutic, so relax, let go of your inhibitions and ENJOY!! E is also for England where I come from."
"Learn to support your head, I don’t mean save all your money to put it through college, I mean learn the correct posture. Just as there are optimum body postures for singing there is also correct head posture. If you believe my fellow countryman Charles Darwin you’ll know that the human body was not designed to stand erect, something went wrong during our evolutionary development and we ended up upright. The neck muscles therefore get very tired if we don’t use correct posture. Head rolls and self massage are great. So no more monkey business!!"
" Imagination is the singers greatest asset. Use it wisely. Eliminate all negative thoughts and think positive. If you imagine that you can do something then you almost certainly can. The opposite also applies. If you are having trouble with a song try imagining you are the singer who sings it. Unlike guitar players or other musicians (and yes, singers are musicians) we do not have fret boards, keys or buttons to press so we must develop our imagination to hit the right notes, in the right key, at the right time."
"Nodules. These are nasty little suckers that grow on your vocal folds if you don’t learn how to use your voice organ properly. Dehydration, alcohol abuse, shouting, screaming, smoking ( especially if all of the above are done simultaneously) can ruin your folds and you end up with having to have them scraped. Many of the old school of “screaming” rock stars have had nodules removed. In my opinion once this happens the voice organ is never quite the same again. Better to avoid nodules in the first place by learning to sing correctly."
" Observe yourself in a mirror. We all pick up bad habits regarding our posture and stance. Watching ourselves perform gives us a much more objective view of anything we may be doing wrong. Go on, no one’s watching, knock your self out!!!"
"I always start my classes with quite, diaphragmatic breathing. Gently winding down from all the stresses of the day. Focus on getting your breath down from the chest and into the diaphragm area. If you have a puppy or a kitten watch how they breathe. Their tummies’ rise and fall gently, with no stress or pressure. Breath in for a count of 7 then out for 11, This fools the body into becoming very relaxed, very quickly. This is a great technique to try if you are waiting for an interview or an exam. Don’t do this when driving though as it can lower blood pressure and increase your vehicle insurance should you crash!!"
"Avoid Tea, Coffee, Alcohol, Ice Cream Milk, Soda, Peanuts, and chips just before you sing. Theses liquids only help to dehydrate your voice and the peanuts and chips leave debris all over your vocal folds …Ewww! In reality you should avoid all of the above period and just drink lots of water (more on water later). However, us coaches understand that you’re not training to become Monks so we do allow a little indulgence from time to time. Remember though, all things in moderation."
" If you don’t understand what your coach has told you or why you are doing a particular exercise please ask. We need feed back in order to provide you with a better service and sometimes we make mistakes. Last week I told a 6 foot four 185 lb MAN that he was a Soprano. Duh!! I didn’t even realize I’d made that mistake until he came back the next week and told me what I had said. So don’t be afraid to ask questions if there’s something you don’t understand. Still can’t believe I said that!!!"
"Your voice is your instrument. Look after it and it will look after you long into old age. Treat it with respect and you will reap rewards."
"Eat for Energy -- Proteins are essential for maintaining energy in singing. Singing takes energy. Many performers lose energy halfway through a set and then end up efforting, pushing and stressing their vocal cords."
"Fight fatigue. As a singer, this is a huge enemy. Fatigue will sap you of technique and have you working against yourself. Many singers strain their vocal chords, push their range, get hoarse, and get a variety of other problems when they get tired. The antidote is rest and self-care."
"Relax your jaw. Called a Dumb Duh, it will feel unnatural to keep your jaw loose and dropped but it is the best way to get a smooth sound and not effort in singing. It also allows you to get exact placement of pitch and replicate it."
"Keep Your Eye on the Ball -- Don't get discouraged if your voice isn't where you'd like it to be. It takes time to develop your instrument. Singing is a complex performing art and everyone who's successful has done the work at some time or another. Keep going and you'll keep growing."
"Quit Pushing -- Feeling powerful in singing and being powerful in singing are two entirely different things. While efforting -- pushing chest, singing louder to hit pitches, creating and pushing sound from the throat -- may feel powerful, it actually sounds worse. It's easy to go off pitch, sound strident (even painful), hurt your voice, crack etc... when you sing in this way."
These are some great tips, and I hope you follow them. :)
You could also look into getting an actual vocal coach, if you don't already have one.
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